Family Equality Council Cheers Bipartisan Introduction of Employment Non-Discrimination Act

Family Equality Council Cheers Bipartisan Introduction of Employment Non-Discrimination Act,Calls On Congress To Recognize EmploymentProtections as Vital to Health and Well-Being of American Families

(Washington – April 25, 2013) The Family Equality Council, which connects, supports, and represents three million parents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) and their six million children, today commended the bipartisan introduction of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Reps. Jared Polis (D-CO) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) are lead sponsors in the House. Sens. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced ENDA in the Senate with co-sponsorship from Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Tom Harkin (D-IA).

“Economic security is fundamental for happy, healthy families,” said Emily Hecht-McGowan, Director of Public Policy. “Parents all over the United States simply want to provide for their families. We have an obligation to pass laws that ensure an equal playing field for LGBT workers, so that they have the same ability to care for their loved ones as all other working families.”

Passing ENDA will bring federal law in line with overwhelming public opinion and 85% of Fortune 500 companies who provide workplace protections and benefits to their LGBT employees. Right now, more than two-thirds of children being raised by parents who are LGBT live in jurisdictions without explicit, inclusive or comprehensive protections for their parents.

“LGBT families are living at higher rates of poverty than their opposite-sex married counterparts,” added Hecht-McGowan. “Our families are especially vulnerable to employment discrimination and the inability to access necessary employment benefits. This is about ensuring that all LGBT people have access to the American dream: to provide for our families and raise happy, healthy children.”